If you’re reading this through tired, bleary eyes, we get it. You know you need better sleep habits and it might be that you need to go to sleep earlier. But it’s much easier to tell someone to do that than to actually stop scrolling on a phone, reading on a device, or watching a series on a streaming platform at night. For many of us, evening hours are the only time we get to ourselves.
A 2024 Gallup poll found that 36% of women versus 48% of men say they get the sleep they need. That means there are a lot of us walking around feeling like we could use more sleep. One way to do that is to hit the hay earlier. It has a number of physical benefits, too. “Getting sufficient sleep supports a person's health because it helps them recover and function well with one's biological processes,” says Michael Chichak, M.D., Medical Director at MEDvidi.
We're going to find out exactly how to go to sleep earlier, with actionable steps from the experts, before looking into some of the health benefits. If you think an old, unsupportive mattress could be causing some of your sleep problems, check our list of this year's best mattresses for all sleep styles.
Can you change your sleep schedule?
The good news? You can change your sleep schedule. The bad news? It’ll take a few steps and practice. Start small if you're attempting to change your sleep schedule, suggests Dr. Chichak. “Try to move your bedtime earlier by 15 to 30 minutes.”
“Your body can adapt more easily to gradual changes because they are easier to handle and less likely to throw off your circadian rhythm,” he says. If you want to start sleeping by 10 p.m. but typically go to bed at 11 p.m., for example, start by going to bed at 10:45 p.m. for a few nights or a week, then 10:30 PM, and so on, he suggests.
How to go to sleep earlier in 6 steps
1. Create a nighttime routine
Establishing a regular nighttime routine tells your body, We’re prepping for sleep.
“We have a terrible habit of wanting to go-go-go all day long then expect to fall asleep immediately when it is convenient for us — it simply doesn't work that way,” says Leah Kaylor, PhD, CEO, and psychologist.
Try these suggested activities from Dr. Chichak and Dr. Kaylor for a healthy bedtime routine:
- Establish consistent bedtime and wake times, even on weekends, to train your internal clock.
- Finish your last meal two to three hours before bed. That gives the body time to digest so you can fall asleep faster and get into a deeper sleep.
- Avoid alcohol. Doing so will improve sleep quality and can help with weight loss.
- Spend about an hour before bedtime relaxing.
- Dim the lights to signal to your brain that it’s time for bed.
- Engage in relaxing activities such as stretching, journaling, reading books, adult coloring books, listening to a meditation or soothing music.
- Incorporate mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, to assist your mind and body in achieving a more relaxed state.
Over time, having a structured routine will alert your body that it is time to sleep earlier, says Dr. Chichak.
2. Wake up 20 minutes earlier every day
To start going to sleep earlier you’ll probably need to focus on two things: Setting up a bedtime routine that’ll help you fall asleep earlier and creating an alarm that goes off earlier.
Have realistic expectations of rising earlier and start setting your alarm for 20 minutes earlier than usual for a few days to adjust. You might find that rising to a sunrise alarm clock makes early morning wakeups easier by simulating natural light—even if your alarm is going off before the sun is up. Check out the best sunrise alarm clocks that we recommend.
By waking up earlier each day—and avoiding a midday nap—you’ll build up the body’s sleep drive so you’ll feel tired at an earlier time at night. If it feels like too many changes happening at once, try setting the earlier bedtime first for a week or so to adjust.
3. Stay consistent
Yes, this advice doesn't sound too appealing for those of us who love to ‘sleep in’ on days off but, the key to good sleep is keeping up with consistent bedtimes and wake times. “Maintain this routine, even on weekends, and holidays,” says Dr. Kaylor. “I know it's a bummer, but your body loves consistency.”
Staying within an hour or so of your regular bedtime and morning wake times will help your body stay the course for knowing when to go to sleep and when to get up.
4. Set a reminder to put the phone away
Having a healthy bedtime routine when you want to sleep earlier might involve setting reminders that nudge you about those healthy habits you wanted to practice.
Consider setting an alarm to go off 70 minutes before you want to go to sleep. This will give you 10 minutes to finish what you’re doing if you’re on your phone and start the wind-down process. Yes, your phone is one of the top causes of insomnia, according to a sleep doctor.
“Put away devices an hour before going to bed, so when you need to sleep, there is little to no exposure to blue light-emitted devices,” Dr. Chichak says. Try some of the relaxing activities mentioned above to help you prep for sleep without using screens.
5. Exercise during the day
If it’s possible for you to take your workout into the sunshine in the first hours of the day, that can have a multitude of benefits. Morning light hits the eye’s retina and tells your body it’s time to wake up all of the body processes, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
While there isn’t necessarily a “best time of day to exercise,” if you are someone who does outdoor workouts, doing that in the sunlight in the first hours after you wake up can help your sleep.
Try to avoid aerobic exercise or stimulating workouts close to bedtime. Aim to exercise earlier in the day— ideally morning or afternoon, suggests Dr. Kaylor. Exercising too close to bedtime can be very activating (e.g., increase the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, etc), which works against your ability to fall asleep, she says.
6. Consider enlisting a professional
If you’ve ever been tossing and turning when tired due to racing thoughts at night, it’s easy to understand that unresolved stress and anxiety can surface at night and prevent you from falling asleep.
Relaxation techniques like yoga, acupuncture, or biofeedback may provide more profound remedies for insomnia brought on by stress or anxiety, says Dr. Chichak.
“CBT-I, or cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, is a very successful way to treat sleep-related issues,” says Dr. Chichak. “Its main goal is to recognize and alter harmful thought patterns related to sleep.”
Are there benefits of going to sleep earlier?
There are benefits of going to sleep earlier if you are in a sleep deficit and your body needs the extra quality ZZZs.
Getting more sleep could help you avoid chronic issues like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, says Dr. Chichak. “Early sleeping will have positive effects on social interactions since stress and mood will improve, which will lead to lessening anxiety and depression.”
Physiological benefits of early sleep: “Going to bed earlier and getting a full night's rest can result in improved cardiovascular health, better immune functioning, and improved ability to manage one's weight,” says Dr. Kaylor.
Sleeping early bolsters the quantity and quality of sleep, especially sleep cycles occurring early in the night where there is deep sleep, Dr. Chichak says.
Psychological benefits of early sleep: When you allow yourself to get a full night's rest you can expect decreased fatigue, burnout, and cortisol levels (i.e., "the stress hormone"), says Dr. Kaylor. Moreover, you can expect increased focus, better decision-making, and faster reaction times. Who couldn’t use more of that?
General better-body benefits of early sleep: When sleeping earlier equates to waking up early, you have more opportunities for self-care routines such as exercising, meditating, or eating something nourishing, says Dr. Chichak. These healthy habits can set a positive tone for the day.
